She put the sponge down and started to walk past me toward my bedroom and I blocked her, “I’ll get it. She’s still asleep.”
Sarah grinned like a cat that ate the canary. She knew I wasn’t alone and wasn’t giving in till she got me to admit it.
I was about to head to the bedroom when the door opened and Angel came out, dressed in my grey flannel pajamas, her hair tied into a ponytail. She’d bought a few pairs the other day but it was pretty obvious that she preferred mine.
Sarah’s face lit up.
“Fuck me,” I grumbled.
Angel froze in her tracks, “Um…”
“Good morning! Angel, right? I’m Sarah Martinez. I’m Dario’s housekeeper. Housekeeper for the girls, too. I flit around, like a happy cleaning and cooking butterfly. But I’m like more of an auntie to the family. Can I get you coffee or tea?” She moved to my counter and fetched a mug.
I gave Angel an eye roll and she wandered over.
“Nice to meet you,” she said to Sarah.
“How do you take your coffee?”
“Extra milky, 2 sugars. Thank you very much.”
“Ooh,” she winced, “That much sugar is bad.”
“Oh, I know it,” Angel said, “I gave it up for 2 years. But I’ve backslid. I’ll probably give it up again soon.”
Sarah smiled, “Good. Give it up as soon you can, mija, It is so bad. I read this book…”
I took that opportunity to go grab my dry cleaning bag, kissing her on the forehead as I passed. She gave me a warm look and ran her hand up my chest and sank into me while I kissed her forehead.
“I’ll be one sec, Sarah,” I said but Sarah was too busy educating Angel on the evils of sugar to acknowledge me.
When I got back to the kitchen they were sitting at the island chatting and Sarah had her own cup of coffee. Fuck sakes…
“Come for a sec, baby?” I dropped the garment bag on a sofa and led her into the den and shut the door.
“We need a cover story,” I told her.
She nodded.
“So,” I started. My phone rang. I grabbed the desk line, Private Caller.
“Hello.”
“Dario Ferrano?”
“Yeah?”
“Sheridan Leo. Local associate to Stanley Smith.”
“What’s up?”
“Stan asked me to meet you and deliver an envelope to you. Says there’s time-sensitive information in there for you.”
“Courier it to my office.”
“I’ve been asked to hand it to you and no one but you.”
I got her address, told her I’d pick it up on my way to my office, and hung up. Angel was still in front of me.